512 NS Diagnostic - Next Steps?

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Hi all,

I took the NS half-length diagnostic exam this weekend and scored a 512 (128 CPBS, 129 CARS, 128 BBLS, 127 PSBB; 87th percentile). For some background, I'm a sophomore at a state school who has taken introductory bio, chemistry, physics, and organic chemistry I; I am also currently taking organic chemistry II and biochemistry. I have no plans to take psychology or sociology, and have not yet started my study period for the MCAT, although I do plan to take the exam this coming summer.

I know that my diagnostic score is relatively high, and have reviewed my diagnostic to get a sense of what types of missteps I made. These included some content gaps for all of the content sections, especially in psych and soci, as well as some mistakes made in interpreting questions and logical reasoning mistakes.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by my score, and would be grateful for any advice that you might have as to how I can most efficiently use my study time to maximize my outcome for this exam given my starting point. Specifically, I have a few questions:

In the context of my diagnostic score, what is a realistic score goal for the exam itself? I'm aware that there is some randomness in exam scores from exam to exam, and would like to set a goal that is both achievable and will push me.

What specific steps should I take to improve my score from this point forward? I know that content review of the content I am missing will be key; beyond that, should my focus be on practice exams?

If aiming for a 95th/98th percentile score (516/520+), how much time should I dedicate to studying for the exam? I will have little time to study this semester, but will have quite a bit of time this summer to study. I was considering writing at the beginning of June, which would give me about a month to study, or mid-June, which would give me about a month and a half to study, but I don't know whether these timeframes are realistic.

I sincerely appreciate your time and thoughts.

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I think I got a 512 on that diagnostic a few weeks out from my actual exam where I scored a 520. I studied a little bit everyday for 5 months. Other people study a lot for a month. I'm partial to my method but as socalemt mentioned above it's not the time you put in as much as it is what you do with the time. If you've given yourself time to review content and are scoring in the range you want to be for the real MCAT on actual AAMC exams you should be fine. If not you can always postpone your test.
 
Hi all,

I took the NS half-length diagnostic exam this weekend and scored a 512 (128 CPBS, 129 CARS, 128 BBLS, 127 PSBB; 87th percentile). For some background, I'm a sophomore at a state school who has taken introductory bio, chemistry, physics, and organic chemistry I; I am also currently taking organic chemistry II and biochemistry. I have no plans to take psychology or sociology, and have not yet started my study period for the MCAT, although I do plan to take the exam this coming summer.

I know that my diagnostic score is relatively high, and have reviewed my diagnostic to get a sense of what types of missteps I made. These included some content gaps for all of the content sections, especially in psych and soci, as well as some mistakes made in interpreting questions and logical reasoning mistakes.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by my score, and would be grateful for any advice that you might have as to how I can most efficiently use my study time to maximize my outcome for this exam given my starting point. Specifically, I have a few questions:

In the context of my diagnostic score, what is a realistic score goal for the exam itself? I'm aware that there is some randomness in exam scores from exam to exam, and would like to set a goal that is both achievable and will push me.

What specific steps should I take to improve my score from this point forward? I know that content review of the content I am missing will be key; beyond that, should my focus be on practice exams?

If aiming for a 95th/98th percentile score (516/520+), how much time should I dedicate to studying for the exam? I will have little time to study this semester, but will have quite a bit of time this summer to study. I was considering writing at the beginning of June, which would give me about a month to study, or mid-June, which would give me about a month and a half to study, but I don't know whether these timeframes are realistic.

I sincerely appreciate your time and thoughts.

If that is your real diag score, then I'd bet you are fine.
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Hi all,

I took the NS half-length diagnostic exam this weekend and scored a 512 (128 CPBS, 129 CARS, 128 BBLS, 127 PSBB; 87th percentile). For some background, I'm a sophomore at a state school who has taken introductory bio, chemistry, physics, and organic chemistry I; I am also currently taking organic chemistry II and biochemistry. I have no plans to take psychology or sociology, and have not yet started my study period for the MCAT, although I do plan to take the exam this coming summer.

I know that my diagnostic score is relatively high, and have reviewed my diagnostic to get a sense of what types of missteps I made. These included some content gaps for all of the content sections, especially in psych and soci, as well as some mistakes made in interpreting questions and logical reasoning mistakes.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by my score, and would be grateful for any advice that you might have as to how I can most efficiently use my study time to maximize my outcome for this exam given my starting point. Specifically, I have a few questions:

In the context of my diagnostic score, what is a realistic score goal for the exam itself? I'm aware that there is some randomness in exam scores from exam to exam, and would like to set a goal that is both achievable and will push me.

What specific steps should I take to improve my score from this point forward? I know that content review of the content I am missing will be key; beyond that, should my focus be on practice exams?

If aiming for a 95th/98th percentile score (516/520+), how much time should I dedicate to studying for the exam? I will have little time to study this semester, but will have quite a bit of time this summer to study. I was considering writing at the beginning of June, which would give me about a month to study, or mid-June, which would give me about a month and a half to study, but I don't know whether these timeframes are realistic.

I sincerely appreciate your time and thoughts.
So on cars , are you taking notes and highlighting the passage? Or are you reading to remember?

And I'll die to get 512
 
Often times more time does not equate to higher scores.

I think I got a 512 on that diagnostic a few weeks out from my actual exam where I scored a 520. I studied a little bit everyday for 5 months. Other people study a lot for a month. I'm partial to my method but as socalemt mentioned above it's not the time you put in as much as it is what you do with the time. If you've given yourself time to review content and are scoring in the range you want to be for the real MCAT on actual AAMC exams you should be fine. If not you can always postpone your test.

Thank you to both of you for your thoughts - ScreenName23, you make an excellent point that my own sense of my own preparedness and my score on FL exams (especially AAMC exams) is probably the only accurate metric of my performance.

If that is your real diag score, then I'd bet you are fine.

Not trolling - just looking for advice! I do understand how this might seem like a troll post, though.

upload_2017-1-11_20-13-17.png


So on cars , are you taking notes and highlighting the passage? Or are you reading to remember?

And I'll die to get 512

On CARS, I'm reading for understanding. I'm a pretty fast reader, so my strategy is to read the whole passage, trying to pick up on key points or concepts that I think will likely be tested; I then answer the questions by considering how well each option fits with my understanding of the passage and also by scanning the passage for key details that lead towards or away for other responses.
 
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Thank you to both of you for your thoughts - ScreenName23, you make an excellent point that my own sense of my own preparedness and my score on FL exams (especially AAMC exams) is probably the only accurate metric of my performance.



Not trolling - just looking for advice! I do understand how this might seem like a troll post, though.

View attachment 213335



On CARS, I'm reading for understanding. I'm a pretty fast reader, so my strategy is to read the whole passage, trying to pick up on key points or concepts that I think will likely be tested; I then answer the questions by considering how well each option fits with my understanding of the passage and also by scanning the passage for key details that lead towards or away for other responses.

I am actually in a break of my first practice test lol, the next step diag. Just finished the CARS, and I agree with this. I find my time being wasted actually highlighting the material. Better to get overall understanding of passage and apply to questions, with occasional scanning for details if necessary. Highlighting key words can kinda help though
 
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